The Ruler's Paradise: Exploring Historical Dystopias

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Transcript of The Ruler's Paradise: Exploring Historical Dystopias

The Ruler's Paradise:Exploring Historical DystopiasOverall TopicOption #2: Literary ConnectionsUtopia and Dystopia: What is society striving for?Thesis StatementSourcesNovel "1984" by George OrwellShort story "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt VonnegutMovie "V for Vendetta" directed by James McTeigueNovel "Brave New World" by Aldous HuxleyArticle "The Popularity of Dystopian Books from 1920-2010" by Anna DavisArticle "Fourteen New Ways that the Government is Watching You" by Michael Snyder

The novel 1984, the short story Harrison Bergeron, the movie V for Vendetta, and relevant modern statistics all contradict my thesis that "a utopia will eventually become dystopian." On the contrary, they confirm that utopias have never been created because they have never escaped their dystopian nature all along. Dystopia always triumphs over utopia because the perfect “utopia” is a vague and intangible dream that can be easily corrupted by worldly desires while the imperfect “dystopia” is a distinct and constantly tangible reality that represents human nature. A utopia will eventually fall into the grip of dystopia if it is governed by a distinct, totalitarian hierarchy.Question #1Why do most people remain faithful to dictators, thereby agreeing to live out their lives in servitude under the government?Question #2Do all the dystopias start out as utopias, or are they dystopian from the beginining?Question #3If democracy is the most acknowledged form of civilized government, why do people seeking a utopia never go for a democratic regime?Conclusion"The idea set up by the party was something huge, terrible, and glittering — a world of steel and concrete, of monstrous machines and terrifying weapons — a nation of warriors and fanatics, marching forward in perfect unity, all thinking the same thoughts and shouting the same slogans — three hundred million people all with the same face” (Orwell 74). “Since mankind's dawn, a handful of oppressors have accepted the responsibility over our lives that we should have accepted for ourselves. By doing so, they took our power. By doing nothing, we gave it away.” - V (movie "V for Vendetta")"Unlimited power in the hands of limited people always leads to cruelty." - David Mitchellin reality it was actually a reduction from the day before.

"A utopia is a dystopia forced upon you by a madman. " -Sam J. LundwallThe governments in both 1984

and Harrison Bergeron

manipulate their citizens under the noble name of creating a utopia.A democratic utopia is essentially unreachable: If a government is democratic and allows its citizens to make their own choices, there will always be people that choose to go against society or break the law. Therefore, if a utopia is to maintain order and not fall into chaos, a totalitarian state needs to be established.V.S.All three governments in 1984, Harrison Bergeron, and V for Vendetta never at any point reached utopia: they are all dystopian from the beginning.

Essentially, a utopia can only survive and continue to function through a form of extreme, tyrannical oppression that ensures no rebellions from its citizens.

Society is always looking for a strong, capable leader.Citizens are often ignorantly guided by the illusions of a utopia that the ruling parties have set up.Supporting Quotes"Utopias have never been created in the first place"For ex: All three governments wipe out political opponents, silence opposition, and implement terror at the start of their one-party rule.The Process to Maintain a UTOPIA, Ironically, Leads to a DYSTOPIA.*All rights reserved to the Boston Public Library database

For ex: Citizens in 1984 happily accepted the "increase" of the chocolate ration, when "There is the secret to obedience - liking what you've got to do. All conditioning aims at that: making people like their inescapable social destiny" (Huxley 190).